With five days left before the NFL trade deadline, the Patriots’ plans are still coming into focus. New England could go a few different directions - buyers, sellers, or something in between - but one rumor appears to have little traction inside the building.
That rumor centers on Carlton Davis, who was floated as a possible trade candidate this season because the Patriots might want to get younger. But Davis has been a steady No. 2 corner in his two years with New England, and when he’s on the field alongside Christian Gonzalez and Marcus Jones, the Patriots have a three-man cornerback setup that works.
Boston Herald Patriots reporter Andrew Callahan shot down the chatter Friday on his “Pats Interference” podcast.
“I don’t think we need to waste any more oxygen on the Carlton Davis piece, so I will add that having checked in on this, there are people in the Patriots building who are baffled at the suggestion that Carlton Davis is actively being shopped,” Callahan said. “Sometimes its just other teams throwing [stuff] at the wall and just see what sticks and make a stir in other buildings.”
Callahan’s co-host, Derrik Klassen, also noted how thin New England would be at corner if Davis were moved. Behind the top trio, Charles Woods has not been especially impressive in his limited chances during the Patriots’ injury issues in the secondary, and the other corners behind him have almost no NFL starting experience.
That makes a Davis trade hard to square if the Patriots are trying to stay in the playoff race. At 5-3, they’re positioned to reach the postseason again with Maye driving the offense, and a productive deadline could help them keep rolling. But if Callahan’s reporting is any indication, Davis doesn’t look like part of the plan.
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